Zzzzz...

    I can't keep my eyes open...
    But, if I had this puppy...
    I'd stay up just to play with him :) 

    ...but, I have big plans for Eclectically E tomorrow. 

    Big plans like finally responding to some emails! That's right...your questions will finally be answered :) 

    Jump on board! Have any questions you want to ask? Ask away!! It's on my to-do list tomorrow to catch up with all of you sweet readers! Either ask them in the comments or email me at eclecticallye@gmail.com!

    Sweet, sweet dreams!

    Hey! We are waking up to a new month tomorrow! You know how much I love those... HAPPY OCTOBER! 

Farm shoots! Book now!!!

    Hey all!  If you need family photos for your Christmas card etc, you NEED to book a time slot with us for the farm days!  I am renting vintage furniture, a vintage wagon, farm-esque props like loads of apples and apple boxes and the location is A-MAZING... Tall fields of grass, beautiful dirt roads and a cool old barn/ vintage outbuildings!  You cannot get this type of look just coming into the studio!!!! 

BYOP: Bring Your Own Pumpkin Carving Party & Contest!

    I have a friend that does a pumpkin carving party every year in Chicago and it's awesome! She sends out an evite BYOP (Bring Your Own Pumpkin and carving utensils), covers her tables with trash bags, puts out snacks, a lot of liquor, a special "halloween punch" and BAM! Party! At the end of the night there is the judging, and the winner gets bragging rights for a full year! Happy Thursday! xoxo, Julie


    Pics Below from the Cast of Lost's Pumpking Carving Party which looks just like my friend's party...




    pics found HERE

God is Good...

    all the time...and all the time, God is good. 
    Today's post is simple really. Just a little shout out about how good our Lord is :) I am very strong in my faith, but have never been one to really talk too much about it...but today I just want to simply say, God is good!! 

    The world is a beautiful place, and trust me...I spend many days taking for granted my life and the wonderful air that I get to breathe, but HELLO...do you realize just how good this world is? Am I the only one that's breath just gets taken away sometimes by the beauty of the land or by the sweetness of people's souls? 

    I think at this point in my life my needs and views start to change. What is important to me today, probably wasn't as important to me this time last year. What I think about for my future, isn't the same as I used to think before. I realize that worries change, that new happiness happens and sometimes sad enters your life, but knowing that there's a man upstairs looking down on me just brings a huge sigh of relief to my heart. 

    What actually prompted this post was a rude little comment I heard at work yesterday...
    There was a mom who came by my desk to chat about her daughter's birthday party that is happening this weekend. 

    Y'all, this lady has put everything in to this party...I'm talking every little detail you could possibly think of. It's going to be the cutest thing in the world and she has worked so darned hard for it! Anywho...she had gotten back from buying the finishing touches and was telling me all about it, I found out later that another girl that sits near by said...

    "Would she just shut-up...nobody gives a damn about her life!" 

    Woah. Hold on. Hold up. Wait a second! What???

    What happened to a little love? What happened to a little excitement or a little kindness for one another? 

    Once I found out the above comment was said...I was truly stone faced. My first reaction to the person who told me was...

    "Is it really that fun to be miserable? Is it not so much easier to just be happy for someone?!"

    I mean come on people. Okay, maybe the girl was having a rough day and being sour was just on her plate. I'll give her that. But let's take a moment and step back and realize what's important. 

    Okay, sure. Maybe you were in work mode and hearing about the party wasn't the highlight of your day. But what about a little compassion? What about a bit of a step back and see what all you have to be thankful for! 

    God is good to you. Be good to others. 

    I'm just saying...if the worst thing to happen to her today was having to listen to a mom talk about her kid's birthday party...then let's re-evaluate. There are a few people in this world struggling a lot more than you! 

    Someone at work the other day stopped by my desk and said...

    "Erin, I just wanted to let you know...every time I walk by your desk and you smile at me, it just absolutely makes my day."

    Gah. My heart. Now, I'm not telling this story to fluff my feathers, but I'm telling it to just show how some people are grateful for those little things...some people open their minds and hearts and want to hear about someone's kids birthday party! 

    Maybe I'm cuckoo, maybe I've lost my mind. Maybe this corporate world is going to present a whole new mean to me. 

    But all I know is...no matter how much my views change throughout my life, no matter how much my worries change...I am going to hold strong to the fact that God is good. And I have every reason in the world to praise him and be happy and gracious to those around me every day. 

    Remember up top when I said today's post would be simple? Ha! Sorry about that :) I believe I got on a bit of a roll. 

    Maybe today was a day where you took a few things for granted, which like I said, happens to me all the time! Just take a little moment to say "God, you are so good...thank you". I've said it a few times today, and my heart feels very happy because of it! 

    I'm in no way trying to push my beliefs on to any of you. I just know I always like a little "be thankful" reminder :) I hope it helped some of you today!

    I also got some good news from a doctor's appointment that I had yesterday, so I'm also sending big thanks for that!! Have a great day! Xoxo. 

Mardi Gras Themed Desserts!

    Some ideas for Mardi Gras Themed Desserts! Lassiez le Bon Temps Rouler! xoxo, Julie

    My personal fav: Truffles or Cake Balls shaped into a Mardi Gras Beads via Hungry Happenings

    St Louis Cathedral out of Ginger Bread



    Warm Hubig Pies topped with New Orleans Ice Cream Co. and stuck with Mardi Gras Themed Picks.
    Had these are Canal Place Theaters! Yummmmm....


    Blueberry Pie or cobbler dusted with gold sugar with "Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler" or "Throw Me Something Mister"  cut out from crust and baked on top!
     
    Beignets from Coffee Call
    or colored Beginets via Hungry Happenings

    Mini King Cakes

    French Macaroons via Sucre New Orleans

    King Cake Cupcakes via Mardi Gras Outlet

    New Orleans Cemetary Chocolate Cake or Brownies via All You

    Embelish a dessert with Fleur di Lis

    Mask Cookies via Sweetopia

    Mini Bread Puddings HERE

    Pastry Crowns via Hungry Happenings
    

Happy Rosh Hashanah!

    Today is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year! I like this Jewish Holiday because it's a commemoration of the Big Bang which fashioned the universe and our planet. A great article on this is in today's Washington Post HERE.  I'm observing today by going over to Whole Foods and Red Stick Spice to get stuff for a big meal tonight of celebratory foods like black eyed peas & apple cider, then watching the Rosh Hashanah Curb Your Enthusiasm episode HERE!  Shana Tova! Happy Wednesday! Julie

    Curb Your Enthusiasm


    Spiced Apple Cider Cocktails
    1 gallon fresh apple cider-10 cinnamon sticks-5 anise pods-3 teaspoons whole cloves-1 cup extra dark rum (optional) -Orange slices for garnish

    Pour the cider into a large pot and simmer with the spices for 10-15 minutes. If you want, tie the spices up in cheesecloth for easy removal later - or just let people deal with cloves in their drinks. Add the rum at the end. Garnish with a slice of orange.
    via The Kitchn

    Menu
    Here is an example of a Rosh Hashanah menu from Dino Restaurant in D.C.:

    Grand Antipasti Misti della Festa
    Round Challah, apples & honey
    Asian pear, roasted pepper & radish salad
    Chopped Chicken Liver fegatini
    Sformata of local greens {ricotta, greens, parmesan, spices}
    Seasonal vegetable antipasto
    Chicken Matzoh Ball Soup

    Entrees
    Arrosto con Zucca “Kabocha”
    Braised grass fed beef with Kabocha squash
    Pulcino alla Cacciatore
    Amish chicken with white wine & mushrooms
    Pesca alla Livornese
    Fish with a piquant tomato sauce
    with escarole & white beans

    Dessert
    Buttery Apple Cake




    Follow Red Stick Spice on Facebook and Twitter @RedStickSpiceCo @DinoDC

What I'm Loving Wednesday

    I love Wednesday's! Really. It's like a nice little "you can do it" day of the week! 

    I'm loving...Adele. I have always loved her and that beast of a voice she has, but as of lately...I've decided that I too, can sing like Adele. I'm sure you're thinking I must have some sort of good voice to think that I can sing like Adele. No, no...no voice here, not even kind of...but for some reason I am sporadically belting out "Someone Like You". It's one of the most gorgeous songs I have ever heard, and if you heard me singing it, I would absolutely ruin the song for you. I'm going to stop singing it now...might still try it again in the shower tonight though. Ha! Have you heard the song??? Amazing...when sung by Adele...not me :) 

    I'm loving...Starbucks. I finally tried the new Salted Caramel Latte that I dedicated an entire post to yesterday. It was all sorts of delicious, but a bit much for me. Don't get me wrong...you should definitely all try it! But it definitely has a large amount of chocolate in it...which, weird for me...I love chocolate, but even this was a bit much for me. It could have had something to do with the fact that it was morning and I shocked my poor tongue/stomach. So overall, it's delicious...definitely get a tall (you were right Kristen!), and maybe have it as an afternoon delight instead of a morning wake me up! I believe next trip I'll have me a PSL again. That's just what I like to refer to as heaven in a cup. However, my SCL turned out beautiful...no false advertising from Starbucks! 


    I'm loving...these pins! Seriously, what's a WILW without some pinterest? I'm sure you'd be just fine without it...but I just can't bare not to share! Some people refer to my like of Pinterest as an addiction. Psst...please. 
    I love this office. 
    It would make me a better blogger if I could blog in here. 
    Don't you think we should ask Charlie for it? Yeah, me too :) 

    Reminding myself daily of this. 
    I'm a big ol' baby when it comes to worrying. 

    Don't make fun. 
    I can't stop thinking about Christmas. 
    That's not to say I don't LOVE Fall, 
    because...well I do...a lot. 
    But that doesn't stop me from 
    getting giddy about the thought of December!

     I need to throw a party, 
    just so I can use cute little mason jars. 
    Thank God I was born in the south. 

    I'm loving...all of your blogs! Seriously, I feel like I've found the most amazing blogs in the world in the past 4 months. Thank you all so much for commenting when you stop by, it leads me straight to your blog and I love to "meet" new people! Keep the comments coming, I want to have more blogs to visit :) please and thank you lovely readers. 

    I'm loving...Clemson. Period. What a beautiful, beautiful place. I am just so proud to call myself a Tiger. And I am so proud that the name Clemson is being said a lot through out the nation right now. Congrats to our football program, they sure are making a mark right now. Prayers, crossed fingers, four leaf clovers and horse shoes that we have a good weekend at VT. Any Hokie fans out there??? I love a nice little rivalry :) 


    Tell me, tell me about your Wednesday!

MacKenzie + Wil, Cedarwood Wedding : Nashville Wedding Photographer

    MacKenzie and Will have to be the SWEETEST, most genuine couple this side of the Mississippi.  From the moment I met them they were just dripping with love and adoration for each other and I knew their day would be extra special.  They tied the knot at the perfectly beautiful Cedarwood, in which MacKenzie's aunt Linda is an owner (how lucky is she??!!!)   MacKenzie chose a gorgeous color palette of greens, yellows and cremes.  I don't see this palette done very often, and I was completely wow'ed with how it turned out!  The bird cages, paper lanterns and shabby chic decor complemented everything perfectly, and they were blessed with a cool and sunny fall day.  MacKenzie glowed in her vintage gown, and both her and Wil just were bursting with love for each other, it was SO cute!  As always, the Cedarwood staff did a flawless job, and not a detail was missed!

    MacKenzie, Wil, family and friends, it was so great spending the day with you!  Thank you for letting me be a part of it, and I hope you love your previews!  ~Krista








































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